Predator
by Ms.Hale
Summary: A deviant sociopath has plagued the streets of Forks, Washington for thirty-one years leaving the residents of the small-town panicked and paranoid. When the Hale family falls victim to a grisly game of cat-and-mouse, the tight-knit group must band together as prey in order to overcome the sinister ritual of the predator.
1. Eyes of the Beast

Eleven year old Rosalie dragged her feet down the white carpeted walkway on the second floor of the Hales' Victorian townhouse. She bent her knees and gently crouched down behind the banister of the stairwell. The young child held onto the railing as she watched her parents argue for the third time that day. It was their booming voices that woke the eleven year old from her slumber.

"I'm sick and tired of this Sam," Emily exasperatedly paced in front of her exhausted husband, "I told you to choose!" She took a seat at the edge of the couch, "Carson or us?"

Sam quickly sat up on the couch, "Em, I told you I can't make that decision!"  
"For Christ sakes Samuel, he sent you a note last week threatening me…threatening our children! Don't you care?"

Rosalie pushed her head closer, sliding it between the railings. She hated hearing her parents yell at one another. It gave her a feeling of loneliness and seclusion.  
"I'm doing this because I care! The streets aren't safe! It's my job to make them safe Emily! I thought you understood that!" Sam rose to his feet and approached his wife. He stooped low in order to be eye leveled with her, and waited for her response, "I do! I know it's your job, but…but so is being a father to our children! You missed Rose's daddy daughter dance-"

"Your father took her!"  
"My father isn't her father! You are!" Emily cried out, glaring at the hand her husband sat against her knee, "You missed Jasper's soccer championship!"  
"He understood why I couldn't make it!"  
"No, all he understood is that his father is full of excuses!"

Rosalie's eyes grew weary as the clock struck midnight. It was way past her bedtime, and if her mother knew she was still awake she would be in big trouble. The young child blinked out of the tiredness that simmered through her as her dad proclaimed, "You can't expect me to be at every dance, every practice, and every game!"  
Emily pushed her husband out of her way, "You're right I can't expect you to be at every one, but I do expect you to make one!"

As soon as Rosalie realized her mother was heading for the staircase, she rose to her feet and rushed back to her bedroom. She quietly closed the door behind her, and hopped into her bed. Rose squeezed her eyes shut as she heard the front door slam close. Her father was most likely returning to work. Ever since Joshua, Sam's father, retired and handed him over the case six years ago, it was all he could focus on. It was an obsession. Carson was the predator, and Sam did everything in his power to avoid becoming the prey. To Carson, this was a game of cat and mouse. He stayed one step ahead of the FBI and the Forks Police for 16 years.

Rosalie struggled to fall back asleep. Her parents' arguments have grown each and every day to a level of anger and resentment. Their words plagued her thoughts when she was awake, and haunted her nightmares when she was asleep. _You're destroying your family! _Rose tossed to one side of her bed. _Your obsession over Carson is getting in the way of your time with your kids! _Rosalie stirred to the other side of her bed. _If you keep this up, I'm taking the kids, and we're leaving! _Rose shot up out of her bed and raced out of her room once again.

Her feet creaked against the floorboards as she tiptoed to her parents' bedroom, "Rose? Jasper? Who's out there?"  
"It's me." Rose whispered, standing under the threshold of the master bedroom's door.  
"You're supposed to be asleep bumblebee." Emily waved her daughter into the room, "What's wrong?"

Rosalie ran over to her mother's open arms. She sighed in the warmth of her mom's embrace. It was just what she needed. The young Hale inhaled her mother's perfumed scent, as the thoughts of a possible divorce faded out of her mind.  
"Why couldn't you sleep?" And suddenly the thoughts all came back.  
Rose snuggled her face further into her mother's silk pajamas, "I heard you and daddy arguing."

"You were supposed to be asleep…"  
Rose pulled away, "You guys were loud. You woke me up."  
"Your brother is still sleeping," Emily crossed her arms and smiled.  
"Mom, you know Jasper," Rose smiled, mirroring her mother's grin, "he can sleep through a raining fire storm." Emily's head fell back as she released a loud laugh.

Rosalie giggled at her mother's boisterous laugh. She took a seat next to her mother on the king bed, and sighed, "Are you and daddy going to get a divorce?"  
"Bumblebee no," Emily shook her head, "Why would you think that?"  
"You always argue. Alice's parents got a divorce because they always argue!"

Emily pulled her blonde hair into a loose ponytail atop of her head. A few blonde strands didn't make it, and continued to dangle around her face.  
"Baby, no matter what happens between me and your father, you and your brother will always be loved," Emily pulls Rose into her arms, and nuzzles her face into her daughter's neck, "You're my bumblebee," Emily smiles and pecks her daughter's cheek, "your brother is my grasshopper."  
"Why do you guys always argue?" A sad smile formed on her daughter's face.  
"That's what people who love each other do." Emily nodded surely, "I know it may sound weird, but it's true."

Rosalie looks up to meet her mother's green eyes, "You're crazy."  
"And you're honest." Emily snickered, rising to her feet, "It's almost two, and way past your bedtime. You have school in the morning, and mommy has to show three houses." Emily pulls her daughter into her arms, "Bumble-"

A loud bang from the closet sharply cut Emily's sentence off. Another thump followed shortly after. A third thud came soon afterward.  
"Mom," Rosalie and Emily glance at the closet.  
Emily grabbed a pair of scissors off of her desk, "Rosalie get behind me." She held the scissors out and took small steps towards the closet.

Carson kicked open the closet door before Emily could even open it. He ripped the scissors from her hands, and shoved them into his pocket.  
"Rose, run." Emily whispered, as Carson shoved the woman's head onto the corner of the dresser.

Emily falls to the ground and reaches for Carson's leg. A few drops of blood trickled out of the back of her head from the impact to the dresser. The deranged man angrily tore his leg out of her hold, and kicked her away.  
"Please, leave my babies alone." Emily whispered, crawling back, "I'm begging you. This is between you and my husband. Not them. They're innocent."

Emily meets the disturbed predator's eyes, as he brought his foot up and stomped down onto her face. The older Hale fell back unconsciously. Carson collects himself and walks out of the master bedroom. He glances around the house, and spots an opened door. The predator runs up to the bathroom, and rips back the shower curtain.  
"Mommy!" Rosalie screams, as Carson picks her up and pushes her into the wall.

She looks into his hate-filled eyes as he holds her up by his strength. Carson smiles as he looks into her green orbs. Rosalie noticed the anger, the rage, and the misunderstanding within his eyes. One of his eyes was dark brown, while the other was green.

In a panicky attempt to free herself, she swings her hands forward. Her fingernail cuts into the skin under his left eye. A loud scream echoes through the bathroom as he drops her. Trickles of blood fall onto his shirt. He tore his hands away and watched as she fell to the ground.

Carson reached into his pocket, and pulled out the scissors, "Not yet." He stomped on her arm, before shoving the scissors into the palm of her hand. The young child screamed into the night as he shoves a white cloth over her mouth and nose. Rosalie squirms under the stronger man's hold as the scissors remained penning her hand to the ground.

The young girl stopped struggling causing for Carson to pull the white cloth away. He smiles to himself as he walks out of the bathroom.

**Predator**

Rosalie stirred. She opened her eyes and was met with a hazy light that temporarily blinded her. The young child rubbed her eyes in order to wipe the blurriness from them. A light cough erupted from the pit of her chest.  
"Mommy," Rosalie whispered, glancing around the bathroom. A splash of red liquid soaking through the tiled bathroom floor caught her line of vision. Immediately the pain in her left hand shot through her body. She cried out while pulling the scissors out of the center of her palm.

She brings her shaky hand to her chest, "Daddy!" Rose stood up and walked out of the bathroom. It was darker than usual. Any lights that were on at first were now cut off. The young girl stopped just outside of her mother's room, before lightly knocking, "Mommy, it's me. It's bumblebee." No answer.

The young blonde set her hand against the door and pushed it open. Her eyes were met with more darkness. She reached inside and flicked on the lights, "Mom," Rosalie caught sight of her mother's body, and raced across the room, "Mommy!" She rolled her mother over, and caught sight of her petrified face. Four stab wounds seeped blood out of Emily's petite form. The number four carved into her forehead trickled blood down her face. Her mother's eyes were wide open, and her cheeks were moist from tears.  
"Ja…Jasper!" Rosalie fell to the ground and screamed, "JASPER! Jasper!" She crawled away from her mother's body, staining the carpet with her bloodied hand, "Jasper! Jasper! Jasper! Jasper!"

Rosalie felt arms lift her onto her feet. Her teary eyes met her brother's identical ones, "It's mom!" She pointed at their mother's deceased form, "She needs help!"

Fourteen year old Jasper held his sister in his arms, as he looked over his shoulder. He shut his eyes close as soon as they met his mother's green ones. She looked terrified. His hands shook against his sides as he pulled his sister out of their parents' bedroom.

**Predator**

Eleven year old Rosalie stood in silence as sirens could be heard growing closer and closer to her house. Jasper stood before her, observing the penetration of her hand.  
"Dad should be here at any second," he kissed his sister's forehead, "We'll be okay Rose. I'll protect you."

A single tear rolled down Rosalie's cheek. Her older brother used his thumb to wipe it away before it could roll past her chin. He smiled down at his sister, before pulling her into his shaking arms, "I saw him." Rose pulled back, and looked into his identical eyes, "I saw his face Jasper."

Seconds later the front door burst in. Police officers and medics raced through the house being followed by Sam, Elijah, Felicity, Diane and Joshua. The officers split up and begin to search through the parameters of the house. Rosalie spots her father first. His face is tear-stricken, and he's shaking worriedly. Samuel drops to his knees, holding his arms wide open, waiting for his children. Rosalie and Jasper rush to their father's open arms, and wrap their arms around him.  
"I'm sorry," Sam whispers, placing a peck against Rosalie's temple, "I'm so sorry," he places a kiss against Jasper's cheek.

Elijah clears his throat, "Sam, they want us to come upstairs." He glances at his younger brother, and watches him rise to his feet.  
"Stay with grandma and Aunt Felicity." Sam said, rubbing his children's back, "Dad," He looked to Joshua and nodded towards the staircase, "Let's go."

Felicity approached her niece and nephew, "Sweeties," her eyes fell upon the small blood pool surrounding her hand, "Rosalie, what happened?"  
"He…He," she started to cry as Felicity wrapped the young child in her arms, "stabbed my hand with…" she glanced over at her grandmother standing with her arms wrapped around Jasper listening, "with the scissors."  
"Wait," Felicity pulled her away, "he was close enough to stab your hand."  
Rosalie nodded, "I saw him. I scratched him."

Felicity glances over her niece's shoulder and meets Diane's brown eyes. The worried grandmother pulls Jasper closer to her as her sons and husband descend from up the stairs. The concerned woman spots her youngest son's face. His eyes were tired, dry, and most of all miserable. He looked weak, like at any second he could pass out, and never wake up. Samuel was worn, and knowing that his kids saw what he just saw dejected him.  
"Guys," Felicity rested her hand atop of Rosalie's shoulder, "Rose has something to tell you."

Each Hale glanced towards the youngest. She was nursing her hand, calling for Joshua to wave over a paramedic.  
"I saw," Rosalie's face wrinkled as pain continued to shoot through her hand, "I saw who did that to mommy," She calmed enough to allow the paramedic to clean off the blood, "I scratched him."

Felicity watches as her niece winces occasionally from the pain shooting through her hand. The paramedic softly wraps the child's hand with a cloth, "She'll need stitches on both sides of her hand." The paramedic stood, "We can do it outside in the truck if that's more convenient."  
Sam waved her off, "We'll be out. Don't leave."

Diane glances from her granddaughter to her grandson and frowned. While it was great that they now had a break in the case, she didn't like the fact that it had to do with her grandchildren. Diane Hale has been a retired police lieutenant for over five years, and her husband Joshua is a recently retired FBI Agent. Now that he knew about this huge lead, it would force him to partner with their sons, Detective Samuel Hale, and Private Investigator Elijah Hale. Felicity, who is a police dispatcher, will even be pulled into the craziness of Carson.  
Samuel stooped low, and gently lifted his daughter's injured hand, "Where did you scratch him bumblebee?"  
"Under his eye," Rosalie used her good hand to point under her left eye.

Elijah stepped forward, "Did you draw skin lady bug?"  
Rose nods.  
"He'll probably be left with a scar," Diane added, tightening her hold around Jasper's waist, "especially since she drew skin. We finally have something to work with."

Joshua frantically paced, "What else can you tell us sweets? How close were you to him? Did he have any tattoos? Birth marks? Facial hair?"  
"Joshua, not now!" Felicity snapped, cutting her father-in-law off, "Come on Rose," She extends her hand to the young child, "Let's get some fresh air. It's stuffy in here."

**Predator**

Rosalie stared down at her freshly bandaged hand as the tingling from her stitches began to subside. She closed her injured hand, and reopened it once the burning began to flare up. Rose shook the pain from her hand as she watched men with coroner jackets enter her house.  
"Is my mommy dead?"

Felicity hastily pulls the little girl into her arms, "We'll find who did this." She couldn't bring herself to look into Rosalie's crying eyes. She knew the eleven year old knew the answer to her own question; she just wanted a third party to assure her of it.  
"If we were to bring in a sketch artist, would you be able to describe what he looks like?"  
Rosalie nods, "I can try."

"No sketch artist!" Sam shouts, exiting his house, "Only those working on the case that we can trust will know. She's the only living witness. Carson left her like that for a reason."

A silence falls over the three as Rosalie continues to mindlessly pick with the bandage wrapped around her hand. She jumps frighteningly as her grandmother leaves out of the house holding her brother's hand.  
"Come on Rose, "Diane extends her free hand to the mourning child, "you two are staying at my house tonight."  
She looks to her father, "Dad?"

Sam's eyes meet hers. She could see the grief, and the bereavement within them. Rosalie didn't want to leave him like that, especially not tonight after what happened.  
"I can't leave you."  
"I'll be over there first thing tomorrow morning before you even wake up," he stooped low to be eye-leveled with her, "I just want to know one little thing, we'll find out everything else later."

She takes her grandmother's hand and nods.  
"Did you look into his eyes?" She shakes her head, "Were you that close to him? Were you close enough to see his eye color?"  
"Yes, I saw them. They were two different colors."

From over Samuel's shoulder, Felicity asks, "What were the colors? Do you remember them?"  
"They were," her eyes glance up at the night sky, "brown and green."  
"Thanks bumblebee," Sam presses a kiss to her cheek.

**A/N: Disclaimer: The Twilight characters are reserved for the one and only Stephenie Meyer. **

**This is the prologue to the next chapter which will take place fifteen years from this chapter. I hope you all review and enjoy.  
**

**-Tiffany. **


	2. No Guardian Angel

**Fifteen Years Later:**

"Hale," Dr. Brown shouted, placing his hands over his patient's stab wound, "We need an OR immediately. What's open?"

In her scrubs, the 26 year old nurse rushed up to the doctor, "OR two is available."

Dr. Brown and two other nurses raced past the blonde and pushed the gurney through the swinging ER doors. She glanced at the empty receptionist desk, and could only wish that Alice worked today. Rose sat the clip board down, closed her eyes, and sighed. Once she opened them, she spotted her father, Detective Samuel Hale, running into the hospital.  
"Dad, what is it," she ran up to his sweaty form, 'Is it Jasper? Emmett?" He said nothing, which grew her more concerned, "Uncle Elijah? Aunt Felicity? Damon?" Her father rested his hand against her shoulder, "Is everyone okay?" She smacked his hand away, and gripped his shoulders, "Answer me!"

Samuel nodded, "They're all fine. One of my officers was just brought in." He watched his daughter glance down at the specks of blood leading to the ER doors. She pulled her hands off of her father's shoulders, "Dad?"  
"He was checking out a lead…on Carson."

That name haunted her for years. He has plagued her family with sadness and nightmares for generations. Carson is a ruthless serial killer preying through the streets of Forks since before she was born. Her grandfather, Joshua Hale, started the investigation into the brutal killer, but he remained unsuccessful. The case was passed down to her father, Samuel, and since he took over he hasn't been able to stop obsessing over the mysterious murderer.

Rosalie brought her attention back to the present situation. Her dad said one of his officers was hurt by Carson. She knew all of the officers under him. Ever since her mother died, they all became like family to her and her brother.  
"Who?" Rosalie stood mere inches from her father, "Dad, who was that?" She pointed towards the ER doors.

His head lowered sadly, "It's Mike."  
"Dad, no." Her hand fearfully covered her mouth, "You promised Jessica you would keep him safe."  
"He isn't dead!" Sam shouted, watching his daughter run up to the receptionist desk, "He's still alive!"  
Rose tapped her hand against the counter, "Ivy, inform Dr. Brown that I'm scrubbing in."

Samuel watched his daughter disappear behind the emergency room doors. To clear his mind of the present, he allowed his thoughts to drift to his Rosalie. Her mother would have been so proud. They raised a strong and confident young woman. She is a woman who isn't afraid of speaking her mind. She's a lady who demands answers and expects them in return. She was just like Emily, and every day that's spent with Rosalie just reminds Samuel of his beautiful late wife.  
"How is he?"

Samuel turned around to notice Jessica, Emmett, and Jasper rushing inside with Brian, Elijah, Felicity and Damon following closely behind.  
Sam takes a seat, "He's in surgery."

Brian held tightly onto his mother's hand as he looked up to catch her eyes. She tried her best to smile at her and Mike's five year old son, but the fact that her husband was a few feet away fighting for his life prevented her from doing so.  
"Where's Rose?" Emmett, Rosalie's husband of two years questioned.  
"She's with Mike."

Jessica flopped into the seat next to Sam. Her hands quickly covered her face as she released a loud sob, "I don't understand! What happened? Why was he alone?" The 30 year old housewife dropped her hands, and glanced desolately at her son. Brian didn't understand what was going on. He looked between his mother, Sam and Felicity.  
Felicity became eye-level with the five year old, "How about we go look at the gift shop?"  
"My mom-"  
Jessica forced a smile, "You can go with her baby."

Felicity took a hold of the young child's hand, and walked towards the gift shop. She didn't want him seeing his mother breaking down. It would do more harm than good.  
"He went in before back up arrived. He didn't want Carson to get away." Jasper answered, slouching low before the hysterical woman.  
"Did Carson get away?"  
Damon nodded, "Yes."

Jessica pushed Jasper to the side, "So it was useless" She rose to her feet, "My husband is in the hospital and the man who put him there is still free?"  
"Not for long Jess," Samuel assured, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly.  
"How many times have you said that?" Jessica waits for an answer, but drops the subject all together as Rosalie exits the OR, "How is he Rose?"

Rosalie refuses to meet the woman's eyes. It wasn't her job to break bad news, yet she's standing here today preparing to utter the words nobody wants to hear.  
"He was stabbed four times," she whispered, slowly approaching Jessica, "He lost too much blood."  
Jessica shook her head, "No!"

Samuel knew how she felt. He had two kids with the love of his life, and she was murdered at the time when they needed her the most. "He can't be! No," Jessica clenched her tummy, "I think I'm going to be sick," She felt Rosalie take her hand and lead her towards a trashcan; "I can't believe he's gone."

Emmett watched his wife comfort their close friend. Her loose blonde hair tied into a tight bun atop of her head. Her hand rested against Jessica's lower back, as the older brunette leaned over a trashcan and discarded her recently eaten dinner.  
"Babe," Emmett whispered, slowly approaching his wife.  
"Not now!"

Rosalie's main focus was Jessica. Although she always saw Michael as a brother, Jessica was his true family. And now she was a widow, and the single-mother of their five year old son. Rose couldn't even begin to imagine the thoughts racing through her good friend's mind. Six years ago, when Jessica and Michael swapped vows, no one would have thought that something like this could happen…would happen to such a kind-hearted goofball.  
"I want to see him." Jessica uses her jacket sleeve to wipe the corner of her mouth.

Elijah stepped towards the grieving widow, "Are you sure?"  
"He's my husband!" she shouted, spotting Felicity and Brian walking back over, "I need to see him," she looks at Rose, "Now!"  
Rosalie nodded, and once again tapped the bell on the receptionist desk, "Ivy, can you take Jessica here to Dr. Brown? She wants to see her husband."

Ivy rose from her seat, "You can follow me." She led the woman down the long corridor.

Rosalie turned around to meet the eyes of her distraught family. Damon, her older cousin, leaned against the wall, covering his reddened face with his large hands. Elijah, her father's brother, pulled his wife to the side and filled her in on the little that she has missed. Jasper took Brian to the vending machine to retrieve a snack. Sam disappeared to the men's restroom in order to handle his frustration and grievances. And, Emmett, he stood facing her, waiting for some word or indication that she was going to be alright.  
"I thought you got off of the case," She whispered, slowly dragging her feet towards him.  
He shook his head, "I didn't. I…I lied. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."  
"You're not sorry because you hurt me," she shoved him in the chest, indignantly, "you're sorry because I found out!"

She wiped her eyes before storming off into the direction Ivy took Jessica. Emmett promised her that he would withdraw from the case. He and Jasper both looked her in the eyes and guaranteed her that they would no longer be working the Carson case. They both lied to her.  
"We're heading home," Felicity announced, taking a hold of her husband's hand, "Damon, do you need a ride?" Her son nodded his head while rising from his seat, "Tell the others we'll talk to them tomorrow." Emmett nodded.

Emmett sat down and stared off in the direction where his wife disappeared. He sat patiently, waiting for his wife to exit the emergency corridors. His eyes closed, as he thought about his good friend. Mike was too nice, and compassionate to be robbed of his life so soon. He deserved much better than this.

A throat clearing tore him from his reverie, "Let's go."  
"Where's Jessica?" He stood up, and looked over his wife's shoulder.  
"She's staying a little longer. My dad's with her, and Jasper took Brian back to her." Rosalie pulled her arm through the sleeves of her jacket, "I just clocked out. I'm ready."

Emmett reached for her hand, but she managed to move it before he could grab it. He knew she was upset, but he didn't realize how hurt she really was. Rosalie led the way out of the hospital, and towards the parking garage. She didn't bother to look back at him once during their trek to his marked police cruiser.  
"Babe,"  
Rosalie quickly turned to face him, "I'm not talking to you Emmett."

He stopped in his place and sighed. At least she said something to him. At least she made him aware of what she isn't going to do. Emmett bowed his head, and continued his walk to the car, "I'm sorry Rose. I…I'm sorry."  
"Tell that to Jessica!"

Her voice quivered at the mention of one of her good friend's. She couldn't see herself getting over the guilt she felt. Even though she didn't drive the knife through Mike, she couldn't help but feel guilty about it. She could have done something to avoid this. Rose couldn't save her mom, but she figured she could at least try to save the next person Carson hurt. The young nurse was wrong though. This was Carson's world, and they were all merely pawns in it.  
"Are you hungry?"  
Rosalie shook her head, "I lost my appetite."  
"The only reason I want to continue working on this case is to protect you," He began, sliding into the driver's seat, "I'm sorry I lied, that was wrong of me, but there is no way I can pull away from this case, not when your family is involved, because that means you're involved!"

Her eyes closed, as she sighed, "Baby, I really appreciate that. I admire that, but I'm safe. I feel safe, especially when I'm with you. I'm not in danger."  
"You don't know that!" He argued, shoving the key into the ignition, "He has it out for your family! He's killed many people. And personally sent notes to your father to brag about it!"  
"I don't want the case dropped; I just want it transferred to unattached detectives."

Emmett's fingers silently tapped along the stirring wheel as he headed home. His wife didn't understand the gravity of the situation. A killer has plagued the streets of Forks for over twenty years. Their first lead was fifteen years ago when Rosalie was able to work with her father to draft the sociopath's face. Since then, they've been getting one step closer to finding this predator.  
"I'm not dropping it," He shook his head desperately; "I love you too much to take that chance."  
She picked his unoccupied hand up, "What chance? I am perfectly fine. It's been fifteen years, and I haven't seen him since." Rosalie gave him her brightest smile.

Emmett gripped the wheel sternly, and pulled the car over to the side of the road. The cars around him simultaneously honked as he cut many of them off, but he didn't care. He had far more important things to tend to at the moment.  
"You're the only person who's seen and met Carson and got to live to tell the tale. You're the only living witness to Carson," Emmett placed the car in park, "Babe, I," he sighed in frustration as he turned to face her, "You were close enough to look into his eyes. You were close enough to leave a scar on his face. You saw him smile. You've heard his voice." He gently picked up her left hand, and smiled down at the wedding band wrapped around her ring finger, "I've been a cop long enough to know that people like Carson don't leave witnesses like you unharmed and alive no matter how long it takes." His eyes fell towards the dark scar implanted in the center of her hand. Every time he looked at the healed wound his mind automatically drifted to Carson. Carson had hurt his wife when she was a mere child. He would use his dying breath to assure that Carson never lay another finger on her.

The pitter pattering of the late night rain fell heavily upon Emmett's car, as he placed his car in drive. He merged into the current traffic, as his wife enjoyed the soothing feeling of the silence within the vehicle. Occasionally her eyes would fall onto her hand, and her free hand would rub aimlessly along the welt entrenched into her palm.  
"Babe," Rosalie looked up, "we're here."

She waited for the car to be placed in park, before hopping out. Emmett and his wife jogged through the rain and up the porch stairs of their condo. "Stay out here while I check around the house," Emmett fumbled through the many keys on his keychain.  
"I am not standing out here in this weather! I'm going inside, this is getting ridiculous." She took the keys from her husband's hands and inserted the house key into its lock.

He quickly set his hand against the door knob, "Can you at least stay behind me?" Rosalie smirked, as she pushed his hand out of the way, and walked herself into the house. For years, Carson has had the power over Rosalie's every living thought and every sleeping dream. She didn't want to live in fear of this monster anymore.  
Emmett followed her into the house, "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"  
"Who do you have to be so protective?"  
"Because I love you," His hands firmly wrap around her upper arms, as he pulls her close, "I love you desperately Rose and it drives me crazy! I just want you to allow me to protect you!"

The young wife's eyes begin to tear up, "I love you just as much as you love me. Who's going to protect you Emmett?"  
"Carson isn't after me. He doesn't have a grudge against my family!"  
"Em-"

Whatever statement she planned on making was cut off by her husband's persistence in proving his point. Emmett wanted to be her knight in shining armor, but Rose won't have it. She refuses to be anyone's damsel in distress.  
"Babe, it's my job as your husband to love and protect you. Let me do that," he dropped his hands, "Please. It would absolutely kill me if something were to happen to you." Emmett brings his hand up to caress her cold cheek, "I'm not saying you cannot protect yourself, I'm just saying let me reassure myself by protecting you."

Her blonde bun was loose from the events of this stressful day. She lost Mike, who was like an older brother to her. Her father is falling deeper into his obsession over Carson. Jessica has to break the sad news to her son, and now Emmett is taking all of the worries and the fears out on her. He knew all about her past with Carson. Everyone one in this small town did, but he knew that she could take care of herself. Mike's death must have hit close to home for him.

A loud sigh was released, "Alright," she stepped back in order to allow him to take the lead, "You want me to stay behind you, I'll stay behind you."

The bright and loving smile on her husband's face assured her that she was doing the right thing. He pulled his licensed gun out, and took the lead. His wife closed and locked the door behind him, before following him through the two-leveled house.

Emmett and Rosalie floated throughout the downstairs, checking under everything and behind anything that could hide someone. He took a hold of his wife's hand as they headed up the stairs. Emmett walked through the halls and opened each closed door. He lowered his weapon as the young married couple approached their bedroom.  
"I told you there was nothing to worry about," she leaned forward and pecked his cheek.  
His head nodded surely, "Better safe than sorry," He turned the knob of their bedroom door and pushed it open.

Out of the blue, their German shepherd, Ares, jumped out of his doggy bed and raced to his owners. A loud yelp came from Rosalie as she threw her arms around Emmett's strong form.  
"It's just Ares!" Emmett laughed, watching as his wife calmed herself, "I thought you weren't scared."  
She kicked off her shoes, and crossed her arms, "I'm not. I just…I wanted to give you a hug."  
"Yeah, right," he rolled his eyes and gently pecked her lips.

**-Tiffany.**


	3. Number Four

Weapon drawn and back perched against the wall Emmett closed his eyes and allowed the deep growl of Ares to rake through the house. He inhaled a hollow breath, as his wife rounded the corner, "What are you doing?" She bit into the green apple that was held snugly in her hand.

Ares barks and growls grew louder as the mystery person continued to knock at the front door.  
"Rosalie, get behind me." Emmett gripped his wife's wrist and pulled her away from the front entrance, "Who is it?" Ares barks drowned out any reply.  
Rose pulled Ares away from the door, "Quiet down, okay." She pecked the dog, and broke off a piece of her apple for him.  
"Who is it?" Emmett repeated.  
"It's me!"

Rosalie set her bitten apple into her husband's free hand before pulling open the front door.  
"I heard." Alice tossed her purse into Emmett's arms, as she raced into the house, "Something smells delicious, what is that?" She looked around at her two best friends, "Uh, what exactly were you two doing?"  
"We were eating lunch," Rosalie took a hold of her apple, as her friend entered further into the house, "Actually, we just finished eating lunch."  
Emmett clipped his gun back into its holster, "Alice, you should really start calling first. You nearly gave us a heart attack."  
"You nearly gave him a heart attack." Alice laughs at her best friend's correction.

Emmett closed and locked the front door before following his wife and her best friend into the dining room. After reclaiming his seat, Emmett reached into the fruit bowl and grabbed himself a banana, "Did you hear about Mike?"

Silence falls over the three friends, and the only sound that is heard is of Rosalie biting into her green apple. After making herself a small plate, Alice took a hold of a seat across from Emmett.  
"I actually," she cleared her throat, "I stopped past Jessica's house. Felicity is over there now."  
Rosalie swallowed her last remaining bite of her apple, "How is she holding up?"  
"She's not," Alice picked around at her food, "She's barely holding on for Brian's sake."

Rose's eyes fall upon her husband's, "I can't imagine." Her feet crossed the room, and stop just behind where he's seated. Before contact between the husband and wife could be made, a repeated ringing of the doorbell continually went off.  
"You two," Emmett immediately rose from his seat, "stay here. Why doesn't anyone call first?"

This time Rosalie didn't put up an argument. She allowed her husband to play man and protector of the house. Emmett withdrew his weapon and approached the door. Alice looked to her best friend in curiosity, "We talked last night," Rosalie shrugged, "I decided to sit back and allow him to feel manly."  
"By protecting you?"  
"If that's what he needs to do, then I guess."  
Alice smiled, "I'm impressed."

In full sleuth mode, Emmett approached the front door. His weapon drawn, and his eyes focused, "Who is it?" After no response, he swiftly unlatched the door, and threw it open. His gun raised high and aimed at his father-in-law's face.  
Samuel threw his hands into the air, "It's just us."

Emmett slowly lowered his weapon and sighed in relief. His in-laws stood outside with someone he hasn't met before.  
"I'm keeping a guard outside of your house," Sam nodded towards the Cullens' guard, "That's Lauren." He stepped into the house after Jasper and followed his son-in-law into the dining room, "I also placed a guard in front of Jasper's house."  
"That's not necessary," Alice shook her head.  
"Alice, trust me," Sam set his hand against his daughter-in-law's shoulder; "Carson does not care about anyone. He killed my wife in cold blood," His eyes drifted to his daughter, "I'm not giving him the chance of doing it to any of you." Alice silently nods in agreement, "Lauren is guarding this residence and Riley is currently patrolling you and Jasper's home. Where's Brandon?"

Jasper exited from the kitchen, "He's at school." He took a seat at the dining room table and dug into his fully fixed plate. The mystery man stood tall, confident and poised. His face held no amusement as he listened into the family's talk.  
"I'm going to send Charlie to watch him."  
Rose stood from her seat, "Dad, are you sure?"  
"Look at this," he reaches across the table and lifts her left hand, "Carson chased you." The room falls quiet as Samuel struggles to retell the story they've heard many times, "He stabbed scissors through your hand, pinning you to the ground! He chloroformed you right before killing your mother!"  
"Dad, that's enough!" Jasper interrupted, dropping his fork onto his plate.

Carson has been able to get into the minds of her family. He's been running her family for exactly thirty-one years, and that is where Sam's obsession comes from. Before the attack, he was already obsessed, and now afterwards his fixation grew to heights that she never thought would be attainable.

Rosalie's left hand held her battle wound. It was her constant reminder of what happened that day. The penetration of the scissors left the nerves in her hand forever altered. Occasionally she would feel numbness or she would feel an excruciating pain due to the trauma her hand received years ago. It varied daily. A few days after the trauma to her hand was inflicted, she needed immediate surgery due to the extent of her nerve damage received. After months of physical therapy, Rosalie can now open and close her hand without the constant shot of pain spreading through her arm. However, she was left with lasting damages, such as unresponsiveness, random shots of pain, and temporary paralysis.

The unresponsiveness contributed to the numbness. If Rosalie were to touch something hot or cut her left hand, the triggers and the discomfort would reach her sensory nerves minutes sometimes hours after the infliction had happened. The random shots of pain happened regardless of what she was doing. She could by lying down, preparing to sleep, and a quick ache of pain would hit her hand. It came with the after effects of a few of her hand nerves being wounded. As for the temporary paralysis, this only occurred after performing too many activities with her left hand. If she constantly were to lift and carry things, without allowing her hand a break, a momentary paralysis would overwhelm her hand, forcing it to go immobile and weak.

Rosalie's dream goal was to become a neurosurgeon, but because of the lapses and problems within her hand, she had to throw that dream away. She settled for becoming a nurse, and occasionally assisting doctors in surgery. She didn't want to be a doctor if she couldn't perform surgery. Yes, she could be a consulting doctor, but it wasn't hands-on. No patient wanted to take a chance with a person who had one good working hand. Her left hand wasn't dependable.  
"You should have been there." She snatched her hand out of her father's grip.

Sam nodded, "I know," He brought his hand up to caress his daughter's cheek; "There is not a day that goes by that I don't regret that. I'm not doing this to undermine you. I couldn't protect you then, please just let me protect you now."  
"Come on Rose," Alice waved over her friend, "Let's go catch a movie."  
"Take Lauren with you!" Sam called out.

Rosalie's eyes fall to her husband. He gives her his best dimpled smile and nods. She grins back before feeling Alice pull her out of the dining room. Once Emmett heard the front door close, he spoke, "I want in."  
"No absolutely not."

Samuel knew Carson enough to know how ruthless he is. He wouldn't hesitate to kill Emmett, and Rosalie would never forgive him for putting her husband in harm's way.  
"You, Jasper, Elijah and Joshua obviously need help!"  
"That's why I'm here," The mystery man finally spoke up, "Special Agent Edward Mason."

Emmett averted his eyes from the agent, to his father-in-law, "She's my wife." He ignored everything Edward spoke, "If I'm going to protect her, I need to know everything!"  
"Dad, Emmett's right."

Sam knew both Jasper and Emmett were correct. He just didn't want any more people to fall into the crosshairs of Carson, 'The Predator.'  
"I know, "Sam nodded.

**Predaor**

"I'm going to the restroom," Rosalie whispered into the dark theater. She rose from her seat, and excused herself as she slid past the movie watchers.

Lauren stood, "I'll come."  
"No stay," Rose murmured, "I'll be gone for a few minutes."

Rosalie used the lighted pathway to guide herself out of the theater. She sighed in content as she entered the lighted hall of the movie theater. She crossed the crowded lobby and entered the woman's restroom.

The young woman quickly chose an empty and clean stall before her morning coffee fully weighed down upon her bladder. She slammed the door closed, and locked it, before raising her dress. She blocks out the sound of feet moving, and stall doors being closed and locked, as she focused on the tingling sensation in her hand.

It took seven months for Rosalie to be able to walk back into her childhood home. It took an entire year for her to step foot inside of her parents' bedroom. The tint of blood was faded, but she could still see the coloring. Carson stabbed her mother four times, and regardless of the struggle she made, he didn't stop.

Rosalie blinked through her memories, and wiped the drops of tears from her eyes. She approached the sink, and held her hand under the soap dispenser. The pink soap slowly covered the scar that forever haunted her memories. The scissors that pinned her hand to the ground were gone. The CSIs who processed the crime scene collected them, and they were never to be seen again.

A pair of office scissors was strong enough to hold her hand against the tiled bathroom floor. No matter how hard she pulled, the scissors wouldn't give. Carson used his brute force to force the scissors through bone and skin. She had to muster up just as much endurance to pull the sharp shears out.  
"Mrs. Cullen-"

Rosalie gasped, and covered her mouth in fear. She turned to be met with dark eyes that refused to lighten up. The blonde hair of her body guard was tied tightly into a ponytail. Lauren rested a hand over top of the young woman's shoulder, "We should be getting back to the movie." Rose nodded in agreement and grabbed a paper towel.  
"Rosalie?" A familiar voice called out from the back of the restroom, forcing Lauren to take a stance in front of Rose.

Rosalie walked around her guard, "It's alright Lauren." She looked forward and smiled, "It's just Ivy. We work together." The young Hale waved the receptionist over and gave her a small hug.  
"Who's the prude?"  
Rosalie smirked, "This is Lauren, and she's my bodyguard." Ivy's face scrunched together in confusion, "My dad placed her on me."  
"Interesting," Ivy shrugged it off, "I'll see you at work. My movie is about to start."  
Lauren grabbed onto Rosalie's upper arm, "We should be getting back to ours too."

**Predator**

Elliot shoved the key into the lock of his office door and pushed it open. Since Jasper was the first to move out, he quickly changed his son's bedroom into what some would call a shrine to Carson, but Sam prefers to call it his workspace den.  
"Dad," Jasper entered and looked around, "when did you do this?"  
"A few days after you moved out."

The once sports themed bedroom, that was covered with NBA and NFL posters now held newspaper articles and suspect photos scattered around the walls. Jasper's soccer trophies were packed in boxes and stashed away in the attic. Sketch artist drawings covered Jasper's old desk. Lists of Carson sightings were stacked on top of books that had to do with investigations and mysteries. None of the evidence seemed to have drawn their eyes, but the zoomed in photos of the deceased victims' did.

Elijah pulled a photo off of the wall, "What's with the number four?" In the image of the deceased woman, Samuel circled the number four carved into her forehead in red marker.  
"They all have number fours actually," Damon added, pointing towards each photo.  
Sam waved Joshua, Edward and Emmett inside, "I believe he's obsessed with the number."  
"He stabs his victims four times, and each wound is around four inches apart," Jasper collected each photo of the fatalities, "Carson carves four into each body he considers prey."

"What do you mean considers prey?" Emmett stepped forward and took a look at the photos himself.  
"Each person he kills isn't thought of as targets. He also kills those who get too close to cracking the case. He kills to prove a point. Someone like Carson doesn't need a reason to end a life, he just does." Elijah answered, shutting the door behind Edward.

Joshua took a seat at Samuel's desk chair, "We thought we noticed a pattern, but Emily and Michael threw it off."  
"How so?" Edward asked, inserting himself into the conversation.  
"During the early years of Carson, I was the lead investigator. He killed four people every four weeks. Each person was found after a four day period. He was really precise." Joshua shuffled through folders, before unraveling a long list of names, "The first four victims were Fiona Stanley, Flynn Adams, Forrest Sanders and Faith Montgomery. Carson kidnaps his victims, and dumps their bodies after four days before taking another victim. He does this over the span of sixteen days. After the fourth person is revealed he takes a break for four months, and starts again."

Elijah walks over to his father, and takes a hold of the sheet of paper, "The next four were Olivia Knight, Oliver Murphy, Octavia Callen and Oscar Moore." He flips the page, before continuing, "After another four weeks, he picked back up first with Ulysses Smith, Ursula Bowie, Uri Green, and then Uriah Wallace."

"And the next-"  
"The next four began with R's?" Emmett suggested, taking the next sheet, "It sounds like a pattern to me. Ruth Little and Robert Jackson. Where are the rest?"  
"We interrupted his ritual or routine, whatever you want to call it. We started getting close, and he had to place it all on hold. Anyone he's killed since Robert Jackson didn't fall into the pattern." Sam theorized, collecting the sheets of information from Joshua, Elijah and Emmett, "Mom ran the possibility of him continuing his killings and managing to hide the bodies, but that isn't him. He wants his credit. Each and every victim we found was placed in public locations. He wants his work to be seen!"

Edward nodded his head, "Sam's right. People like Carson do not change for anyone. He stuck to his pattern and broke it the day Emily Hale was murdered." A silence falls over the family, and Edward quickly notices, "I'm sorry, but she's going to have to be brought up if we are to discuss the focal points of the case."  
"Why did he break it?" Damon pulled the conversation back to the matter-at-hand.  
"He broke it to make it personal," Elijah glanced at his brother, "Every four days for a month you received a note…threatening your family."  
Edward grinned as the realization hit him, "Emily was killed to prove a point."  
"He isn't afraid of going off course."

Sam always figured that it was supposed to be him that night. He felt that he was the intended target of Carson. Maybe he wasn't. Carson enjoyed this game with Sam more than he let on. For years, Sam started to have the upper hand, and once Carson killed Emily, he moved multiple spaces ahead. If Sam were to have been killed, Carson wouldn't have a suitable opponent. Joshua didn't get as close as his son did to capturing the crazed madman.

Jasper cleared his throat, before voicing what he had to say, "Carson's been silent after killing my mom. Why now? Why kill Mike?"  
"He wanted us to know that he isn't going anywhere. He's still in the game." Sam answered, shuffling through the stacks of paperwork, "He's starting to hit closer to home. He wants to hit us where it hurts."  
"We never stopped looking for him after Emily though, "Elijah reminded.

This has been the only case Sam has worked on in his twenty years on the force. While multiple law enforcement officers tried to pull him off of the case, they knew that wouldn't stop Sam's efforts in searching for Carson. By having him on the force, and providing him with backup, they could keep him safer than if he went rogue.  
"Emily and Mike's names aren't letters used to spell out four." Emmett voiced, pulling in everyone's' attention.  
"Exactly, and that throws off our pattern."  
Edward stepped forward, interrupting Elijah, "Maybe that's the reason why they weren't taken and cared for properly."

Samuel and Joshua's eyes meet in confusion. Their glances avert towards Edward, and so does everyone else located in Sam's office.  
"Hear me out," he walks over to the hanging photos, "Each victim was taken and four days later their body is found and the next person is taken. This happens until we have four dead bodies on our hands. Emily and Mike weren't taken. They're not a part of his," Edward glanced to the individuals who lost their lives, "whatever this is."

They understood everything Edward was saying. It actually started to make sense, but Jasper didn't comprehend one thing, "My mom had a four carved into her forehead like the other victims, but Mike did not."  
"Maybe that's his signature. We knew he killed Mike because that was the lead he received. It was a rush job. Mike spooked Carson and Carson stabbed him four times. We arrived before he could do anything more. Or maybe Carson killed Emily because he didn't want his work confused with a simple…I don't know home invasion." Emmett explained, watching as his partner nodded in understanding.  
"It makes sense."

Damon glanced around the room, "Why four though?"  
"Maybe it's his lucky number…you know like a four leaf clover," Emmett shrugged in thought.

The discussion of Carson continued around the room, but Edward drowned it out. His eyes scanned the navy blue walls, before falling onto a large sketch drawing of Carson taped up above the desk.  
"Is this what he looks like?"

Edward's question interrupts the conversation and forces everyone to provide their undivided attention to the black and white sketch.  
"From my niece's perspective, yes."

Edward nodded at Elijah's answer. It completely slipped from his mind that Rosalie saw Carson fifteen years ago. She was able to work with her father to draw out the predator's appearance. Just like everyone in the small town, he knew the gist of what happened, but not all of the details.  
"What exactly happened that day? That specific case file was closed."  
"It's need to know only." Joshua remarked, rising from the office seat.  
"I'm working with you all on the case; I think I need to know."

"My sister was eleven," Jasper spoke up before Joshua and Edward could further their small argument, "She woke up in the middle of the night, and went to our parent's bedroom. Carson was in the closet the whole time during my mom and Rose's conversation. He attacked soon after." Jasper inhaled a deep breath, and took the seat his grandfather once occupied, "Uh, my mom held him off and told Rose to run. She did. Anyway he knocked my mom out, and went after my sister. When he grabbed her, she fought back and managed to scratch him just below his eye," Jasper pointed underneath his eye and smiled at his younger sister, "He pulled a pair of my mom's scissors out, slammed Rose into the floor, and shoved the scissors through her palm and out of the back of her hand. He chloroformed her afterwards."

Edward glanced into Carson's shaded eyes, "I'm guessing when she woke up, she found her mother. And where were you?" Jasper covered his mouth as he thought about that night. He felt guilty for years. That day was his soccer championship and he was so exhausted. He practiced the entire day, and used every fiber in his body to win the game that evening. When he came home, he skipped dinner and practically passed out from exhaustion on his bed. He slept through it all.  
"That's not important." Sam answered, squeezing his son's shoulder reassuringly.

"I should call my wife," Emmett pulled his cell phone out; "I want to make sure she's okay and everything is going fine." Joshua smiles and nods as Emmett steps out of the office.

Edward taped the sketch back into its place, "What do you all need me to do exactly? Why did you bring me in?"  
"We need your resources," Sam rose from his seat and approached the agent, "Carson has killed sixteen people that we know of, including my wife and officer. We need your help before he decides to kill more."

Elijah paced worriedly, "He's going to kill at least two more people before who knows what. When he finishes his vendetta, he may disappear or he may start all over again."  
"We can't let that happen," Jasper argued, glaring at Edward, "You have to help us. We need to find him as soon as possible."

The door squeaked open, and Emmett leaned inside, "Rose just got home. I should head out."  
"I should be leaving too," Jasper whispered, rising from the seat.

**Predator**

Jasper turned the knob of the front door to his house, and stepped inside. He could hear light music playing and the smell of cookies overwhelmed the interior of his home.  
"Jasper, is that you?" Alice peeked out of the kitchen, and smiled, "Welcome home!"

Jasper entered further into the house, dropped his keys into the side bowl, and continued his quest towards his wife. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and pecked his lips.  
"Chocolate chip cookies," he smiled, pecking her lips again, "And oatmeal?"  
Alice smiled, "You know it."

Alice grinned and followed her spouse into the living room. Brandon's toy cars are sprawled out over the living room rug. Jasper hops over them as he leans forward to peck his five year old's forehead, "Hey buddy."  
"Hey dad." Brandon smiled, as he rammed two cars into each other.

Charlie stood against the window as he watched the young child play. It reminded him of when his daughter was little and played with doll babies. Now she's fully grown with a career as a dispatcher, married to an FBI Agent, and raising their six year old daughter.  
"Charlie," Jasper took a seat on the floor and picked up a toy truck, "Where's Riley?"  
"He was standing outside of the front door last I saw him."

Jasper waved his son's guard over and handed him the toy. Charlie happily took it and sat with the enthused child, "I'm the police car and you're the fire truck!"  
"Alice!" Jasper jogged into the kitchen, as his wife pulled the cookies out of the oven, "Have you seen Riley?"  
"He should be outside. I'm pretty positive he didn't come in. I would have seen him."

In a rush, he pulled his cell out and dialed his father. Sam answered on the first ring, "What's up?"  
"Dad, Riley isn't here."  
"Maybe he stepped out."  
"Why would he step out?" Jasper ran to the front door and opened it, "Dad, his car is here. I don't have a good feeling about this."

Jasper slams the front door closed, and locks each bolted lock. He backs up, and slams into his wife, "Sorry honey."  
"Is everything okay?" Alice pulled the oven-mitts off of her hands.  
He ignored her question, and walked through the living room, and dining room. Jasper checked the restrooms and each bedroom. Riley was nowhere in the house.  
"Is Charlie still there?"  
"Yes."  
"Okay good," Sam sighed, "I don't think you have anything to worry about."

Jasper flopped down onto the couch in worry, "Can you just call Emmett and make sure that he and Rose are okay?"  
"Alright grasshopper. I'll call you right back."

Once he heard the dial tone, he leaned back in his seat. His eyes closed, but opened quickly when he felt someone sit next to him.  
"Is everything okay?" Alice repeated her earlier question.  
Jasper's eyes watch as his son and Charlie play with the cars, "I hope so."

**-Tiffany.**


	4. Cry of Fear

Jasper groggily pushes himself against the peephole and looks out into the dark night. No person in their right minds would be up at five in the morning unless they're trying to cause trouble. At the sight of Bree Biers, Jasper sets his gun down and opens the front door.  
"Bree, it's five am." He helps the pregnant woman step into his home, "What are you doing here?"

Bree sets her hand atop of her eight month pregnant belly, "It's Riley. I haven't heard from him. I'm getting worried."  
"I'll put on some tea," Alice informed, tying her robe.

Bree's pregnancy emotions were in overdrive. She continuously covered her face and sobbed into her open hands. Jasper had to lead her from the front entrance and into the dining room in order to make sure her teary vision didn't jeopardize her line of sight.  
"Sorry for waking you guys," She wiped the tears off of her cheeks, "Where's Brandon?"  
"He's asleep…and it's okay. You're always welcomed here."

Bree's hand flew onto her belly in a sharp motion. She closed her eyes and evened out her breaths, "I just want to speak to him. I'll be quick. I promise." She pried open her eyes, and sighed, "He didn't check in with me like he usually does."  
"Riley's not here," Alice whispered, exiting the kitchen, holding two tea cups, and the kettle.

Jasper rubbed soothing circles into Bree's back as her eyes started welling up with drops of tears once again. Alice set the cup in front of her friend, and poured some tea into it, "You need to stay calm. The stress isn't good for the baby."  
"Why is he not here? Did Sam call him in?" Bree evened out her breaths in order to settle the stress streaming through her body.  
Jasper shook his head, "No, no one has seen him."  
"Why wasn't I notified?"

"Stay calm Bree." Alice spooned some honey into their pregnant friend's mug of tea.  
"I can't! My husband is missing!" Bree pushed the tea away from her body, "Why aren't you looking for him?"  
Jasper extended his hand, and reached for the house phone, "We were going to start first thing this morning. We had to make sure he is actually missing and since he didn't check in with you-"  
"Twice" Bree added.  
"Twice, then we know something is up."

Alice shoved the tea towards her friend, "Did you eat?"  
"I'm not hungry." Bree crossed her arms over top of her burgeoning belly, and pouted.  
"At least drink your tea," Alice lifted the steaming cup.

Despite Bree's obstinacy, she decided against being stubborn. After all, she had her baby to think about through all of this. It's what Riley would want her to do.  
Jasper rose from the table, "I'll be back," He exited the dining room, while holding the house phone against his ear.

**Predator**

The sound of Emmett's ring tone blared through the dark master bedroom. Out of frustration, Emmett lifted his pillow and threw it over his head. It drowned out the remaining rings. The young Cullen sighed in content, before the ringing started again.  
"Em, your cell…" Rosalie rolled over to face the end table, "answer it."

He released a heavy sigh, and tossed the covers off of his body. Emmett carefully stepped out of bed, keeping in mind that Ares was asleep at the foot of it. After groggily wiping at his eyes, he grabs his phone and exits the bedroom.

The young beauty cuddled into her covers, as her adult dog snuggled against her legs. Ares always filled in and lay against Rose whenever Emmett stepped out. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was silent as she listened in on Emmett's conversation in the hallway. Rosalie could only hear her husband's side, which consisted of yeah, okay, alright, and the occasional damn.  
"Who was that?" Rosalie peels open her eyes.  
"It was your brother," He walks around the bed to the side his wife is facing. She remains relaxed in their king bed.  
"What did he want?"

Emmett lowers himself onto his knees, "How about I tell you over dinner tonight?" He uses his left hand to brush the loose strands of hair out of his wife's face.  
"Can't."  
He drops his hand in disappointment, "Why not?"  
"You don't listen to me," She groaned, pulling the covers over her face, "I told you that this week, I'll be working the late shift."  
"Babe, you never told me that. I would remember."

Rosalie tossed the covers off of her face, and gave her husband a glare, "I did." She sat up immediately, "I told you a few days ago while you and my uncle were working on my aunt's car!"  
"You know you can't tell me things while I'm in mechanic mode." He rises to his feet, and starts his quest towards their shared bathroom.

Her husband disappeared into the bathroom, but kept the door wide open so their conversation could continue. She lay back down before responding, "You can always stop by and eat with me in the cafeteria."

The water turned on, but it didn't drown out her husband's reply, "You're joking right?"  
"No, I was actually serious," Rosalie's hand found Ares, and she gently pat her dog's head, "Dinner with me tonight…hospital cafeteria, be there. I heard sloppy Joe is on the menu."

"Rosalie," Emmett's whine echoed through their home, "I can't! You know that food is terrible! That's probably the reason why all of the patients stay sick."  
"It's not that bad."  
"Rose-"  
"Okay, maybe it is." She shrugged her shoulders, "but the dinner is more for us, not for the meal!"

"How about I pick something up and bring it to the hospital?"  
Rosalie sighed, "I guess…"

The bedroom falls silent as his shower continues and her eyes drift close. They instantly open when the water is cut off.  
"Em, please be careful today."

Emmett exits the bathroom in full-nudity, "Aren't I always?"  
"I'm serious," She sits up, and leans her back against the headboard, "I'm too young to be a widow."  
He pulls his boxers on, "You know I'll be safe," After reaching for a shirt, he walks towards his wife, and takes a seat against the side of her, "We have so much left to do in our marriage Rose. This," he gestures between the two of them, "is far from over."  
She smiles as he pulls his shirt over his head, "So much to do huh? Like what?"  
"Like that honeymoon we never had a chance to go on…"  
"Oh yes," She shoots up, and crawls towards her husband, "I completely forgot about that! What else?"

Ares hops up and exits the bedroom. The dog already knew with both Rosalie and Emmett awake he wouldn't be getting any sleep. He strolled to the lower level and made a comfortable bed on the couch.  
"We promised to take Brandon to a baseball game."

Rosalie covered her heart in pure joy. That little boy brings her so much happiness. Her five-year old energetic nephew is the absolute light in their otherwise dark life.  
"We have our anniversary in a couple of months," Emmett continued, picking up his wife's hand, and pecking it, "And we haven't even talked about kids yet."  
"I know we both want them, but we haven't really talked about when," Rosalie rises to her knees, and pecks her husband's lips, "If it's any consolation, I'm ready when you are."

Emmett looks up and eyes the bottom lip his wife is biting onto. He glances at the clock positioned beside their bed, before shrugging his shoulders. Rosalie released a loud yelp, as the two fell back on the bed in a full-blown make out session.

**Predator**

Emmett pushed open Samuel's office door, after entering the precinct, "What exactly happened?"  
"You remember what happened last time we thought someone went missing." Jasper brought up, waving his partner inside.  
Emmett nods solemnly, "We filed a missing person, got back up, traced Billy's whereabouts to an abandoned warehouse and raided in."  
"And after we ruined his undercover opt, we were suspended from the force for two months." Jasper finished, before turning to face his exhausted father.  
"What about it?"

Jasper pointed towards the empty couch, "Riley's gone missing," He watched his partner take a seat, "and it has almost been 24 hours."  
"You know the rules," Sam sighed, shaking his head in frustration, "We have to wait 24 hours."  
Jasper glanced at Emmett quickly, "Bree's at my house. Riley failed to check in with her twice."

Samuel sat back in his seat, "Do you think it has to do with Carson?"  
"Everything that involves this family has to do with Carson!" Jasper shouted, taking a seat next to Emmett.  
"Okay," Emmett nodded, "What do you suppose we do?"  
"Well if this is Carson, we have three days from now to find Riley." Sam quickly gathered up his current paperwork, and shoved it into his desk drawer.  
"And if it's four?"  
"Then it'll be too late."

Sam's office door swung open, and entered Alice and Bree. Bree's hand rested protectively over her baby bump as she waddled into the secluded office space.  
"She was insistent on coming," Alice muttered, wiping at her drowsy eyes, "It was either I drive her or she drives herself." The over-worked doctor flopped down between Jasper and Emmett, "With all of this stress, I don't want her behind a wheel and I'm sure her OBGYN would agree."

"Is there someone we could call to-"  
"You can call my husband," Bree interrupted Samuel in his quest to contain the situation, "I won't be able to rest until he's found!"  
Jasper turned to face his wife, "Where's Brandon?"  
"I dropped him off at my mom's house. Charlie's with them too."  
"You should go home too," He leaned forward and pecked Alice's forehead, "I know you're working late tonight and I don't want you to be exhausted."  
Alice stood, "Yeah, you're right." Her dreary eyes scanned the office, before resting upon Emmett's stressed face, "You think Rose is up for company."  
"She's always up for your company," Emmett laughed, reaching into his pocket for his cell, "How about I call her to pick you up? You look exhausted and it's probably not in your best interest to get behind the wheel."

Emmett excused himself from the office in order to make a phone call to Rose. Alice took ahold of her previously occupied seat as Sam leaned forward and motioned for Bree to close the door. She quietly crossed the office and pushed the door close, "I saw you over there on your phone Sam. Is there any word on my husband?"  
"I'm waiting for Emmett to come back," Sam informed, motioning for Bree to take a seat.

Jasper rose from his occupied spot and helped Bree take it. The young woman clasped her hands around her belly as the older gentleman lowered her down onto the cushion.  
"Rose should be here in five minutes." Emmett entered the office and closed the door behind him.

"I text Tyler to file the missing person's report," Samuel informed, logging onto his workplace computer, "Irina and Seth are canvasing the area around Jasper's house to look for any sign of where Riley may be. Tyler will be watching your house Bree. I've just assigned Jason Jenks to Jasper's home."  
"Jason is a lawyer," Alice spoke up, looking between Sam and Jasper.  
"He was a bodyguard for fifteen years, way before he became a lawyer." Sam informed, rising from his desk chair, "Besides there's not many people I trust. You guys are family and there are only certain people I trust with family."

Silence falls over the colleagues and friends as no one knows what to say. Alice is struggling to stay awake, as Bree struggles to remain calm. She doesn't need to go into early labor due to stress weighing down upon her.  
"Hello everyone. Al" Rosalie calls out, entering her father's workspace, "come on."

Alice lifts up in excitement at her best friend's presence. Soon enough, Alice was just going to say forget it and fall asleep on the couch.  
"Where's Lauren? Did she come?" Sam worriedly asked, approaching his daughter. He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and gave her a calming smile. He took a gentle hold of her head, and smiled into her eyes, "Has there been any suspicious activity? Did you remember to lock your doors? What about the windows? Those are important too."  
Rosalie smiled at her father, "I understand you're worried, but there's no need. The doors and windows are locked. The alarm is set. I have Lauren constantly following me and Ares is just as much a protector as you and Emmett." She pecked her father's cheek, before waving Alice over.  
"It took you long enough!" Alice laughed, grabbing onto her friend's arm.  
"I'll see you tonight for dinner Emmett!"

**A/N: I just wanted to thank those readers who are leaving me reviews and telling me their opinions and thoughts. They really help and encourage.**

**-Tiffany.**


	5. Dead Man Walking

Alice unfolded the sheet of yellow construction paper, "He drew this for you!" She closed her eyes and presented it to the unsuspected aunt. Rosalie took a hold of the yellow piece of paper, and grinned madly, "I absolutely love that child of yours!"  
"He loves his Aunt Rose just as much," Alice peeked over Rosalie's shoulder, "That's me, Jasper, Brandon, Sam, you, Emmett, Ares, and right over there," She stretched forward to point out a little blurb in stitch figure Rosalie's arms, "Is a little whittle baby." Alice slipped the drawing out of her best friend's grip, "Brandon's patiently waiting for you and Emmett to give him a cousin if you didn't know."

Rosalie gently pulled the drawing from Alice's hold. She smiled down at the perfect stitch figure family drawing of the Hale/Cullen clan. Her heart always manages to swell at the thought of her five year old nephew.  
"That may happen sooner rather than later," Rosalie looked up though her long lashes and allowed her eyes to smile for her.

Alice contained her excitement and quickly grabbed onto Rose's arm. She waved past Ivy as she pulled her best friend to the first vacant hospital room she could find.  
"Wait," Alice slammed the door behind her, "Are you?" Her eyes fell to her friend's flat stomach covered by Rose's nurses uniform, "Are you pregnant?"  
"No," Rosalie shyly turned away, "not yet."  
"When?"  
The young nurse took a seat onto the empty hospital bed, "We're trying…"

A loud yelp escaped the doctor's mouth. Her manicured hand quickly flew over it, "Oh I'm so happy!" The young doctor jumped up and down excitedly, "I'm going to be an aunt! Oh goodie!" She rushed over to place her hand against the flat stomach of her best friend, "I hope you have a girl! We have enough boys in this family!"  
Rosalie shoved her friend's hand away, "Alice, I'm not pregnant yet. At least wait until I start showing some symptoms."  
"That is the greatest news I have received all day!"  
"I highly doubt that."

Alice didn't need a batch of coffee for their second all-nighter. The news she received today gave her enough energy to get through her second night shift. Although Riley has been missing for two days, the long hours at work and Rose's news occupied her time and thought process.  
"No serious Rose," All playfulness dropped from Alice's tone, "I found out one of my patients needs a liver transplant, the kidney I operated on failed and I had to deliver some sad news to an expectant mother."  
"I can't imagine. Is something wrong with her baby?"  
"I don't know," Alice shrugged, "I'm not an OBGYN."  
Rosalie slid off of the bed, "What's wrong with her then?"

Alice took a hold of the seated chair positioned against the wall, "Her liver is failing," she pointed to the side of her own tummy, "that can pose a problem for the baby though if not treated properly."  
"That's one of the many reasons why I'm terrified of having a baby!" Rosalie exclaimed, backing towards the door, "I always thought if I didn't think about it then it would go away or disappear." Rosalie turned around and threw the door wide open.

Alice looked up and realized her friend was no longer in the room. She hopped up onto her feet, and rushed after her friend, "Wait!" She slid to a stop, and nearly bumped into Rosalie's shoulder, "What do you mean?"  
"We already have Carson to worry about," she lowered her voice so the passing doctors, nurses and patients didn't hear, "and it's only so much I can do internally. What if something happens to an organ of mine that threatens the life of my baby?!"

Alice set her hands against Rose's shoulders, "Sweetie, it's normal to feel that way."  
"What if Carson finds out? What if he wants my baby?" She blinked through her teary eyes, "Oh great, now I'm freaking out! I'm freaking out over a baby that doesn't even exist yet!"  
"Rose we'll cross that bridge when and if we get to it."  
"No," Rosalie shook her head, "I need to think ahead. How do you and Jasper do it?" She glanced down at the yellow construction paper, "He's just as much a target as I am."  
Alice smiled down at the picture, "And I freak out every day just thinking about it. Look," she used her hand to force Rosalie to look up, "we can't live our life in fear. You can't let Carson control every aspect of your life. It isn't fair to you…or to Emmett."

Even though Alice was Rosalie's best friend, she was still four years older than her. Rose looked up to Alice, even when they were kids. Any advice Alice gave, Rose always attempted to follow.  
Rosalie folded the construction paper up, "I understand that! Why do you think I allowed myself to fall in love and get married? Every time I wake up, I have to remind myself not to allow Carson to control me."  
"Does it work?"  
"What do you think?" She glared into the doctor's eyes, "The man who murdered my mom is tormenting my entire family! He told me, 'not now,' what the hell does that even mean?!"

The petite doctor wrapped her arms tightly around the young nurse's waist. She ran her hand through the blonde hair on top of Rosalie's head, "You're getting pregnant." Alice smiled into the hug, as Rosalie rested her chin upon her friend's shoulder, "You're giving my son a cousin. You're making me an aunt. Jasper's going to be an uncle. You're making Emmett a father," Alice pulled away and looked into her best friend's bright eyes, "and you're going to make yourself a mother. Am I understood?"

The young nurse nodded her head, and wiped her eyes, "Ouch." She immediately pulled her left hand towards her chest.  
"Are you alright?"  
"My hand just hurts a little," She whispered, massaging the center softly.  
Alice reached towards her hand, "Can I look at it?"  
"There's nothing to see," Rosalie backed towards the receptionist desk, "It happened 15 years ago," She turned around to face Ivy, and asked, "Can you page Dr. Adams?"  
"Sorry I asked," Alice whispered, stuffing her hands into her white medical jacket.

* * *

Sam's hand slammed against the wooden door, "What do you mean we lost him?" He kicked angrily against the door, as mini shreds of wood started to break off, "You guys had one job! ONE!" The red tint in his face increased with each pound against the door.  
"Dad," Jasper called, approaching the scene, "What happened?"  
"This is why I don't like bringing outsiders in." Sam seethed, eyeing the officers scattered around him, "They allowed for Carson to get away. They basically signed Riley's death certificate."

Emmett hopped out of the squad vehicle and approached both his partner and his father-in-law. The steam radiating from Samuel's ears caused for Emmett to keep his distance. In all the years he has known Samuel Hale, he has never seen the man this upset.  
"How did he get away?"  
Sam smirked heatedly, "I don't know. Ask these imbeciles!"

Edward stepped forward, and unstrapped his bullet proof vest. He pulled the heavy ware over his head, and tossed it into the hands of one of his officers. "One of my guys had their sirens on." Edward informed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "It warned Carson. We know he was at this warehouse. We found traces of DNA that belonged to Riley inside."  
"We were so close!" Sam screamed, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, "Hey Edward," he tossed the phone into the man's hands, "Why don't you call Riley's wife and tell her how your people screwed up?!"  
"Dad, calm down."  
"I can't calm down! 31 years Jasper!" Sam's hands shook against his sides, "For over three decades, our family has been searching for him." He inhaled a sharp breath and leaned against the fragile door, "I can't calm down, not until we find him," The older Hale met Edward's gaze, "When I asked for your resources and your help, I never would have thought that you would help him get away."

Edward handed the phone to Emmett, "I'm sorry Detective. It was a mistake."  
"A mistake that will cost one of my guy's their life!"

Sam snatched the phone from Emmett, "Do you have kids Agent?"  
"I have a daughter." Edward nodded.  
"Sweet, what's her name?"  
"Renesme."  
"You're able to know your daughter. You hug her. Kiss her. Riley's wife is pregnant. And he may never even get the chance to meet his baby." Sam dialed Bree's number, "Excuse me while I attempt to manage the situation," He placed the phone against his ear, "Bree, honey it's Sam." He walked away from the group to talk to the hormonal woman in private.

Edward ran his fingers stressfully through his bronze hair. He knew Sam was speaking out of panic and concern, but it didn't help matters. His team did screw up. They alerted Carson and allowed for him to make his escape…with Riley. It's already been two days, and if he decides to stick to his usual pattern, Riley Biers only has two more days.  
"Where do we go from here?" Emmett asked his brother-in-law.  
Jasper tapped his foot nervously, "We're running out time, and I honestly have no plan. We brought in Edward to do what we cannot. Now that that's screwed up, Carson expects us. He knows we recruited outside help. He's going to be extra careful these next two days."

Sam approached, "I got Bree caught up, and let's just say we have one extremely angry pregnant woman on our hands. I called Alice's mom, she and Brandon are alright and Charlie is still keeping watch. My parents are on their way. They're going to help us fix the problem the agents caused."  
"Have you spoken to Alice or Rosalie?" Emmett stepped forward in curiosity.  
"No," Sam tossed him his cell phone, "You can call her."

Emmett caught the phone, and stepped away from the group. He pushed the device against his ear as a familiar voice answered, "Forks General Hospital. Receptionist Desk, Ivy speaking…"  
"Ivy, it's Emmett," he interrupted, "Can I speak to Rose?"  
"She's in surgery with Dr. Adams and Dr. Brown."  
"What about Alice?"  
"She's with a patient now," Ivy flipped through the magazine catalog tiredly, "You can leave the message with me and I'll make sure to deliver it to them when they're available."  
"Okay," he thought to himself, "Yeah. I'll do that. Grab a pen and a piece of paper."  
"Okay hold on."

Ivy tosses the magazine to the side, sets the phone down, and opens her desk drawer. She rips a sheet of paper out of a notebook and grabs a pen. She scribbled down onto the sheet, but the pen held no ink. The young receptionist tossed the pen to the side, before pulling out a pencil.  
"I'm ready."  
"Tell them that Carson got away."  
Ivy immediately stopped writing, "He did?"  
"Yeah," He sighed in disappointment, "The sirens alerted him."  
"Oh they did," She started jotting down the message.  
"Agent Mason is sticking with us. We still need his help." Emmett glanced over to see Jasper and Edward muttering to each other, "We're going to find Riley. Tell them to check up on Bree every chance they get."

Ivy set the pencil down, and leaned back, "Anything else on Carson? How close are you to getting him?"  
"I can feel he's close. It's weird. It's like an itch I can't scratch. I know we're missing something. I'm just trying to figure out what it is."  
"Keep us updated."  
Emmett whispers "Will do," He looks up immediately, "When my wife gets out of surgery, can you tell her to call me. It's not important. I just really want…need to hear her voice."  
"Okay."

At the sound of the click, Emmett approached Jasper and Edward. He could tell Jasper was trying to comprehend whatever Edward just told him.  
"What did I miss?" He looked around, "Where's Sam?"  
Jasper took a hold of his father's cell from Emmett, "My dad went to go fill in my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle." He glanced towards Edward who nodded surely at him, "Edward and I were talking…and he brought up a good point. He doesn't believe that the sirens alerted him."  
"How can you be so sure? He was here," Emmett pointed at the empty warehouse, "He was in there. He got away."

Edward scratched the back of his bronze hair, "We don't know when though. Nobody saw him run away. All we know is that Carson was here…and now he's not."  
"If the sirens didn't alert him, what did?"  
"More like who did?" Edward corrected.

Emmett immediately looked between the two law enforcement officers. What they were saying was extreme? It could ruin careers. It had ruined careers.  
"Are you saying," He lowered his voice, "Carson has an insider in the field?"  
"I'm saying he may. I want to look into it more."

"Jasper!" Sam shouted, waving his son over.  
Jasper lowered his voice, "Don't tell my dad," He asserted, backing away from Emmett and Edward, "Don't tell anyone in my family. I want to be sure before we start throwing accusations."

**-Tiffany.**


End file.
